Training Days: Everything Comes Full Circle
by info overtaken
Summary: Nikita as a recruit - parallels her life and various events that happen in the show. *Now complete*
1. Prologue

**Author's note: **My second story! Hope you enjoy. I might add more depending on the reviews I get, but the story is complete by itself =)  
And obviously, I don't own any of the characters etc etc.

* * *

"Well, I guess that's the difference between us, Michael."

Nikita didn't wait for him to reply before scampering off. If she had, she would have seen his eyes flicker for a brief moment, before resigning themselves back into their usual stoic gaze.

* * *

It had only been 6 months since Nikita had been brought to Division, but it was obvious that she fit right in with all the other recruits. Excelling rapidly, she was gaining the attention of everyone around her, especially from Michael. Even from her first day, there was some sort of electricity between the two of them. Neither had formally acknowledged it. Neither had any plans of doing so any time soon. They knew the rules – "Division doesn't allow relationships." Michael felt as if that was his new personal mantra, simply due to the fact that every time he saw Nikita he had to repeat that to himself over and over again. He wondered if she knew how he felt, or still, if she felt the same way.

"She's a recruit, you're an agent. Get it together Michael!" He would say to himself, whenever he caught himself thinking about her (which was often).

"He's _Michael. _It's his job to care about the recruits, all of us, not just me..." Nikita would tell herself at night before she slept. In her heart, she knew the truth. Michael didn't care about her because she was a recruit. He cared about her because he loved her, and she was afraid to admit that she loved him too.

They sparred all the time, both physically and verbally. The former of which they did openly in the training hall, and the latter of which they did somewhat more privately. Though they would never admit it, their verbal jousts with each other were the highlights of both their days. He loved the way she boldly teased him. She loved the way he made her feel like the only person alive. They bounced off each other so seamlessly, it was like watching a verbal ping-pong match.

* * *

Things had been rocky since she had come back from her first mission. Michael knew she was upset, but it wasn't his fault. He didn't choose the mission for her, and he certainly didn't think she should punish him by not speaking to him. Seeing her so miserable, as well as not being able to talk to her, was definitely taking a toll on him. He didn't want to admit it, but he was a little bit embarrassed and apprehensive about confronting her – especially since the last time he tried to, they had ended up on her bed, and he unwittingly told her that he owed Percy his life. It just came out of his mouth before he could stop himself. He immediately regretted it, and had walked out, leaving her lying on the bed. His heart tugged at him when he heard her softly call his name out, but he shrugged it off and didn't look back. But after another day of receiving the cold shoulder, he decided enough was enough, and he prepared himself to give her a dose of tough-love.

"Nikita!" She stopped when she heard him call her name, but she didn't turn around. Michael sighed to himself. He knew she wasn't going to make this easy. He walked down the otherwise empty hall towards her.

"Nikita," Michael said her name again, softer and quieter than he had planned, "we need to talk. Now." They were now face to face. She gave him an icy glare, "About what? How we let an innocent man die? Victor Han is dead because of me Michael, because of me. What else is there to talk about?"

He sighed in frustration. He grabbed her arm roughly, and pulled her into the nearest room – the computer lab.

"Listen to me Nikita. You need to get your act together right now, because if Division thinks that you're not able to complete your job, you'll be cancelled. Do you understand that?"

"I'd rather be cancelled than have to kill innocent people..."

"Victor Han wasn't an innocent man. He was a very bad man, in fact. You have to trust us Nikita. Percy may not tell us the reason, but that doesn't mean that there isn't one, for every job we do."

"Yeah, I bet there were several _millions_ of reasons for –"

"I'm serious, Nikita. I can't protect you forever. Do you want to be cancelled?"

"Honestly, I don't care. I'm technically already dead anyways, aren't I? I have nothing to live for anyways." She stared at him with such a cold gaze that he thought he might shiver.

"You think you have nothing to live for? You have _me._" Michael rasped at her. He was angry at her, angry for not realizing that he _needed_ her to be alive. Nikita was shocked by his response. They locked eyes with each other, not moving, and unsure of how to proceed. She could feel his breath on her lips, and he could feel hers. She broke their gaze and looked down. Michael took a step back. They looked at each other again, and she nodded at him. Birkhoff suddenly appeared in the room, and told Michael that Percy was requesting his presence.

***** 1 Month Later *****

This was her very last day as a recruit. Nikita was finally graduating. Michael felt a bittersweet mix of emotions. He wasn't quite ready to let her go, but he knew she was ready. After their little "moment" in the lab, she had turned things around, and Percy was convinced she was ready to be promoted to Agent status.

"Congratulations, Nikita." He allowed himself to half-smile when he said this. She looked at him and said thanks, but he could tell she didn't really mean it. She looked sad. She sensed what he was thinking, "Don't get me wrong Michael, I'm happy to be leaving, but it just means more killing."

"Most people get used to it." He lied to her. It didn't get easier, and he had never gotten used to it, but he wanted her to believe he had.

"Well, I guess that's the difference between us, Michael."


	2. Lend A Hand

**AN: **So I decided to make each chapter a different story from when Nikita is a recruit, and I'll try and tie them all together at the end. Enjoy! Reviews are much appreciated!

* * *

They called themselves "Division." A top-secret branch of the government that did whatever needed to be done. A Black Ops type thing. Or so she spent many years believing...

It had been two days since she had been ripped from her previous life and thrown into this new one. Nikita didn't know what it was about her, but no matter what she did, she felt this fire in her that drove her to be the best at whatever she did. And it was no different at Division. She was barely a week into her training, but she was already pushing herself harder than any of the other recruits. She wasn't a keener, and she didn't do it to impress. She was just _that good._

She blipped on Michael's radar immediately. Of course, to some extent, all of the recruits were special, but Nikita, well, she was in a league of her own. She was a gorgeous fireball, and Michael subconsciously took note of it. He had been assigned by Percy to be her "personal trainer", and to overlook her progress. He was taken aback by how quickly she picked up things. She was tiny, but she was strong. A fighter. He liked that. He had taught her some grabs, and how to disarm an attacker. It was time for their first spar.

"You ready for this, Michael? I'll try and go easy on you," she teased him as they squared off. He suppressed a smile and replied, "Bring it."

Within minutes she was on her back.

He almost felt bad for beating her so easily, so he offered a hand to help her up. She took it, but instead of helping herself up, she simultaneously yanked his arm down, and kicked his legs out from under him. Michael went down like a sack of bricks. She had caught him off guard. He was impressed. He quickly got himself up, and looked down at her, still sitting on the floor.

"Gold star, Nikita. But if you do that again, I might have to hurt you."

She just laughed at him. "Oh, Michael, you have _no idea_ how much pain I can take."

Michael couldn't help but smile, until he glanced towards Operations, and noticed Percy watching them through the window.

* * *

"There, that's it." Amanda looked to Nikita, who had just finished putting on her makeup. Nikita would never admit it, but she was proud of herself for being able to do it. Just last week she didn't even know how to open her mascara, and now here she was masterfully gliding it on her lashes. She batted them a few times in the mirror. Amanda noticed, but didn't let on.

"So, what do you think, Nikita?"

"Am I supposed to feel like a real woman now?" Nikita smirked. Amanda simply smiled and tilted her head to get a better look at the recruit.

"Well, Nikita, what would make you feel like a real woman? The touch of a man? Micheal perhaps..." It was Amanda's turn to smirk. Nikita did her best not to betray her feelings.

"Division doesn't allow relationships," was her automatic response, but Amanda cocked her eyebrow at her so she continued on, "and besides, I don't think he could handle me anyways." She grinned at Amanda, who just stood and observed her.

"Why don't you tell him that yourself?" she said, and Nikita spun around to see Michael in the doorway.

"Tell me what?" He asked them, and raised his eyebrow ever so slightly.

"Nothing! Amanda was just doing her crazy psychoanalysing tricks on me," Nikita said as she got up from the vanity.

Amanda glanced between the two of them. It was clear to her that they had something going on between them, but she wasn't entirely sure what. She knew they hadn't slept together (yet), which made her think that perhaps it was something beyond a physical attraction. This thought worried her.

Michael had never seen Nikita in makeup before. He thought she was beautiful without it, but now, seeing her all made up, he was floored. She was a knockout! He had heard their whole exchange, but feigned ignorance just to simplify things. He didn't want his attraction for her to get more out of hand that it had already. He saw the glances that he was getting from Amanda, from Birkhoff, and from Percy. It made him uncomfortable to know that other people saw through his attraction for her. He lied to himself, and others, saying that it was just a mentor/mentee thing.

He and Nikita stepped out in the hall and began walking towards the training hall for her lesson.

* * *

Percy stood in the cover of Operations, and watched Michael and Nikita as they trained.

"He's very attached to her." Amanda walked up behind him and said. Percy shot her a sideways glance before returning his gaze to Michael. Amanda probed him again, "You don't think it might create difficulties in the future?"

He grew agitated with her questions, "No, Amanda. I'm not worried. I trust Michael, and he knows his place... and so should you." He glared at her.

She was satisfied with the response she had provoked. It was Amanda's job to talk about the big elephant in the room, even if that elephant was Michael and Nikita. She would never admit it, but she had a soft spot for the two of them. She was maybe even a little jealous of the way they felt about each other – but that was beside the point. The two of them fully understood the rules, and anyways, if they were stupid enough to actually _show_ their feelings and desires, well then that would make things very difficult indeed. It was one thing if Amanda knew about them, because she knew about everyone and everything, but it was another thing if the likes of Birkhoff could spot their attraction. Amanda looked at Percy one last time before heading back to her lair.

In between their sparring, Michael covertly glanced up and saw Percy with Amanda. He knew that he had to really tread carefully. He had kept his feelings in check, and behaved accordingly, but he knew that he couldn't deny the bolt of electricity connecting him to Nikita. That was the one thing neither of them could hide, and the one thing that would get them into trouble. He was worried about her safety, because he knew that if push came to shove, Percy would simply have her cancelled to avoid any "complications." All Michael wanted to do was protect Nikita, and he wasn't sure how to. He imagined having the conversation:

"_Hey Nikita, so listen, I'm in love with you, and Division just can't have that. You'll be cancelled if they find out, so let's just keep this on the down-low, okay?"  
_"_Oh, Michael, I can't possibly deny my feelings for you anymore! Take me right here on this training mat!"_

"Earth to Michael!" Nikita was waving frantically at him. She had punched him in the face during his little fantasy, and he went down. She offered her hand to help him up. He quickly assessed how suspicious this looked to anyone watching, so he looked up at Nikita, took her hand, and at the last second, kicked her legs out from under her, and dropped her down. He was up on his feet before she even landed on the ground. She looked up at him, in shocked surprise, and a hint of playful anger. He offered his hand to help her up. When she moved to take it, he pulled it back, just out of her reach, and asked, "No tricks?"  
She nodded and he helped her up.


	3. Dream A Little Dream of Me

**AN: **Continuing my chronicles of Nikita in training. This is Part 1 of 2. Enjoy!

* * *

"I don't see why I need to learn how to dance..." Nikita crossed her arms. She had been summoned by Amanda for a "special lesson", and was very excited until she discovered what it was. Nikita knew that she was coordinated well enough, but she was nervous she would look stupid, or forget a move, or step on a foot. Amanda had been observing her, and took note of her pupil's apprehension.  
"Nikita, you've been activated for an Op." Instantly, Nikita perked up. Amanda could see she was extremely excited, and felt bad for slightly misleading her. "You're going to accompany Percy to the Governor's Ball."

"I'm going to be an escort? Woah, look, I didn't sign up for this..." Nikita was clearly upset by this.  
"You have to see the big picture, Nikita. Never forget that. You will serve as a distraction while the real mission takes place. It will be your job to be alluring, and captivating, and seductive. It may require dancing." Amanda paused a moment while Nikita digested that information, then she pressed on, "You will also serve as an extra set of eyes and ears for Percy. You are his bodyguard if anything goes wrong. Understood?"  
Nikita nodded. She couldn't help but wish she could have been Michael's "escort" instead of Percy's. Didn't they have recruits closer to _his_ age?

XXXXX

Nikita had enjoyed her dancing lesson _way _more than she ought to have. Now, in the privacy of her room, she was just letting loose. Amanda had taught her all the traditional dances, and how to feel the partner's rhythm and timing. She was a little tired of the rigid structuring, so she just jumped and danced like she was in a club. It felt good to be a little silly. A few weeks ago she had been given a radio as a reward for finishing some easy task before all her fellow recruits. She had the volume cranked up and was jumping around to some crappy dance song. She had her back to the door, so unfortunately for her, she didn't hear Michael knock, or see him open the door. What a sight! Michael stopped in his tracks, and simply leaned against her door frame. He grinned to himself and watched her dance, so carefree and beautiful. Trust Nikita to be the only recruit who would dance in her room. Michael couldn't pass up this golden opportunity to tease her. He stepped into her room, and the closed the door just loud enough so that she would hear it, but not so loud that anyone outside would have noticed.

Nikita stopped dancing abruptly, and turned to see Michael standing in her room, with a smile on his face. She looked down, and could feel herself blushing, so she turned her back to him and turned the music down so it was barely audible.

"I hope you won't be dancing like that at the Governor's Ball." Michael arched an eyebrow at her, and tried his best not to laugh. Nikita was horrified that she'd been caught in the act, but decided it would be best to play along with it.

"Well, Amanda said I'm supposed to pull focus away from the actual mission. I think that'd get everyone's attention..." She managed to smile. Michael smirked at her.  
"I'm not sure that's quite what she had in mind..." Michael was interrupted by Nikita jumping up.

"I love this song! I haven't heard it since..." She trailed off. He knew she meant to say "before I was taken by Division and forced to train here." She turned up the volume, and Michael recognized the song – _Dream a Little Dream of Me._ Without saying a word, their eyes met, and they walked towards each other. Michael held out his hand, and Nikita took it. He pulled her close, and they swayed slowly. She rested her head on his shoulder, and he wrapped his arms around her tighter. He twirled her, and then dipped her dangerously low. Their eyes locked and the song ended. She was suspended in his arms. Neither of them moved or looked away. A commercial came onto the radio and broke their spell. He pulled her up and they released hands. Awkward silence. He looked down to his left, and turned sharply on his heel. He left the room, closing the door with a gentle click. Nikita walked over to the door and put her hand on it, as if to feel Michael's lingering presence. She turned around and leaned with the door against her back. Slowly, she slid down the door until she was sitting on the floor. She dropped her head back to rest on the door, and closed her eyes. She replayed the song in her mind.

"_But in your dreams, whatever they be, dream a little dream of me."_

She hoped he was dreaming about her, because she was dreaming of him. It was moments like this that had her so confused. Sure, she knew there were rules about fraternizing and whatnot. But she didn't believe in following the rules one hundred percent. There were grey areas. There was Michael. He was the exception.

XXXXX

That night, Michael lay in his bed, staring the ceiling. He was angry at himself for dancing with Nikita. He knew it had been a bad idea, but something had come over him. There were no words to describe it. He kept replaying it over and over in his mind. He was definitely going to be dreaming about her tonight. The touch of her hand, the feel of her body, the smell of her hair – he was hooked. He sighed deeply, and did his best to push all thoughts of her out of his head. He needed a good night's sleep. Tomorrow was the Governor's Ball, and he needed to be sharp. He had a job to do, all the while making sure Nikita would be safe. He could only split his focus so many ways – Percy, the target, the guests at the ball, and Nikita. He knew he'd be stretched thin. He also knew Nikita could take care of herself, but he still could not help but worry himself sick. This would be her first time leaving Division, and he wanted to make sure it went smoothly for her. With thoughts of Nikita safely pushed out of his mind, he drifted off to sleep.

**To Be Continued... **

**** I'll be posting up part 2 before Tuesday! ****


	4. Big White Elephant

**Part 2 of 2. Enjoy!**

* * *

She shivered in the cold night air. It was her first time seeing the sky in several months, and it was gorgeous, dark and vast. She looked up and wondered if she ever really _saw_ the sky before tonight. The dark clouds were like playful wisps against the backdrop of a full moon, and it filled Nikita with a feeling of sadness and happiness simultaneously.

The van ride over had been silent and intense. She hadn't been able to fully look at Michael, and she sensed that he wasn't quite looking at her either. Amanda had chosen a beautiful, but not too revealing dress, and Nikita looked stunning in it. Michael did his best not to notice. Michael himself was clad in a jet black tuxedo, complete with a neatly tied bow tie. She thought he looked like James Bond. The van stopped abruptly. Nikita and Michael piled out of the van. The tech nerd behind them handed them their ear pieces, and wished Nikita luck. Michael tucked a stray hair behind Nikita's ear, and placed the earpiece in for her. It was a simple gesture, and it felt more intimate than it should have.

"Michael, I..." Nikita started to talk, but he cut her off.

"Nikita, I'll be in the van to guide you. If anything goes wrong I'll be there." They looked at each other, both fearing to broach the topic of the big white elephant – their dance.

Moments later, a sleek, stretch limo pulled up. The window rolled down to reveal Percy sitting inside, looking unusually dapper with a glass of scotch in his hand.

"Michael. Nikita. Get in." Michael wasn't entirely sure, but he could have sworn that Percy had just smirked at them. Michael opened the door for Nikita and she slipped graciously into the limo. Michael piled back into the van and slipped in his earpiece.

"Nikita, you look beautiful." Percy had complimented her, making her feel nervous all of a sudden. She nodded in thanks and the rest of the ride was silent. They pulled up to a breathtaking building and Nikita thought that this must be how celebrities lived. Percy and Nikita got out of the limo, she took his arm, and they headed into the party.  
The van, which had been following them, pulled into the back alley behind the building. Michael took a deep breath, double checked his gun, then slipped out of the van and into the party.

The target was Mateo Petrovich, a playboy son of a wealthy foreign diplomat. Because of his status, the Op had to be done discreetly. This is where Nikita came in. She would distract the key people at the right moment while Michael swept in and before anyone even noticed.

As Michael drifted through the crowd, trying to locate the target, he couldn't help but spot Nikita on the other side of the ballroom. Nikita was engaged in a conversation with an older man when she heard Michael in her earpiece, "Target acquired. 2 o'clock, Nikita - move in." She politely excused herself and made her way east towards the target. She took a deep breath before she approached him.

"Care to dance?" She tapped Mateo on his shoulder as sultrily as she could (Amanda would have been proud). He turned, saw her, smiled, and grabbed her in his arms. He led her to the dance floor just as a sexy salsa song began to play. The two started to dance. Michael was watching from the side, and felt a pang of jealousy run through him. He saw Percy give him the nod, and he made his way through the crowd. It was now or never. Nikita saw Michael approach her and Mateo and braced herself. Michael discreetly passed her a vial to inject into Mateo that would knock him unconscious fifteen minutes after inoculation. Nikita twirled herself so her back was pressed up against Mateo. She lifted her arms above her and ran them through his hair and down his neck. She stuck with the needle, and twirled back around and planted a kiss on him. Michael cringed and looked away. Nikita whispered some proposition into Mateo's ear, to which he grinned like a madman, and immediately took her hand and led her off the dance floor. They made their way into a deserted hallway, and Mateo was immediately upon her, his hands seemingly everywhere at once. Nikita was at once flustered. Her training had taught her to reciprocate, but her heart was telling her not to. Meanwhile, his hand was moving up her skirt and she was entirely sure that she did not sign up to be felt up by some greasy creep. Michael had been shadowing them, and was watching as Mateo ran his hands all over Nikita's body. Finally, he could take no more. He could feel the rage bubbling inside of him, and before he knew what he was doing, he had punched Mateo in the back of the head, and knocked him out.

"Michael..." Nikita was a bit stunned. They both looked down at Mateo on the floor, and Michael casually used his foot to slide him aside. With no warning, Michael lunged forward at Nikita and kissed her with a burning ferocity that surprised the both of them. He knocked her against the wall so hard, and unexpectedly, that she nearly lost her balance, and instinctively reached out to grab him for support. She body just melded into his. He was pressed up against her body, and could feel her responding under him. After what seemed like an eternity, he broke their kiss, and they were both left breathless. He took a step back from her, and they both looked at each other, as if trying to formulate something to say.

"What's going on here?" They turned to see Percy standing in the hallway. Nikita nearly froze with panic, but before she could even say anything, Michael was already rattling off an excuse: "He was getting rough with her so I had to take him down." Percy eyed them suspiciously, and looked down at Mateo, slumped down on the floor. Mission complete – more or less.

* * *

It had been two days since Nikita had returned to Division. Two days since she had spoken to Michael. Two days since they had kissed. It was all she could think about. It was all _he_ could think about. Both had been ignoring the other. She was in her room sitting on her bed when she heard his knock. He opened the door and she waved him in. He locked the door behind him.

"Are we just going to pretend that it didn't happen?" Nikita asked him. He was caught off guard by her question. When he didn't reply, she continued on, "I know Division has rules, Michael, but I don't know if I can keep pretending. "

"Nikita, I'm just trying to protect you." He said to her quietly, with a great deal of vulnerability in his voice.

"Maybe I don't want to be protected," she said, as she got up and moved towards him, "And besides, secrets are sexy."

He looked at her and raised his eyebrow. He knew this would only end badly, but for now he didn't care. She wrapped her arms around him, but instead of embracing him, she threw him down on the ground, and was straddling him.

"You scared?" She asked him, with a smile.

"Terrified."


	5. Regrets and WhatIfs

**** This is a direct continuation from the last chapter!**

* * *

Nikita descended upon Michael and kissed him softly on the lips. His arms wrapped around her instantly and pulled her as physically close to him as was possible. In one fell swoop, he twirled them around so that Nikita was now underneath him and he was on top. Nikita gasped out his name, "Michael!" He was temporarily paralyzed with horror, thinking he had hurt her, until she giggled, and he realized his gun holster was digging into her thigh. He adjusted and repositioned himself accordingly so that _something else_ entirely was now digging into her. He moved to kiss her again, but stopped just short of her lips. Their eyes locked, and they could feel the other's breath upon their own lips. She searched his eyes, wondering why he had stopped.

"Michael..?" she whispered to him. He let out a heavy sigh and looked away from her.

"Nikita... We... can't do this." The words stabbed her in the heart. Michael would never forget the look she gave him when he said that. She slid out from under him, angry and confused. He sat back on the floor and tried to restore his breathing to normal. She stood up and smoothed out her hair and clothes, then crossed her arms and looked sternly at Michael.

"Why? Because of Percy? Because of Division's 'rule'?" She interrogated him, and he looked up at her with an odd expression. She couldn't quite decipher what it was, but for some reason it gave her goosebumps.

"No," he said adamantly, "it's because I care _too much_." Nikita didn't understand what he meant, so he pressed on.

"Nikita," he started to say as he rose to his feet, "You must know how I feel about you..." He stepped forward and grabbed her hand. Nikita gulped and nodded.

"Look around – we're inside Division right now. I want us to be together on the outside, for real." He said to her slightly apprehensively. Nikita was speechless. She didn't know what to say or how to react, so she just pulled him close and hugged him real tight. She understood. This wasn't going to be some accidental, animalistic-urged, one-night-stand in her recruit room in Division. This was going to be the _real thing_ – and you don't just rush the _real thing_. He hugged her back, and kissed the top of her head. Not another word was needed. They would wait until Nikita was promoted to agent, and then they could be together. If only they knew how differently things would really turn out.

* * *

_**Michael sat in his apartment, thinking about that night. How he wished he hadn't of been such a gentleman. He wished he had kissed her right then and there. He wished they had had that night together. He wished she had never met Daniel. He wished that Nikita hadn't stopped him from killing Kasim. He had a lot of regrets, but decided that he wouldn't accumulate anymore of them. He was still angry at her, but he had calmed enough to realize that she still loved him. That love had replaced most of the hatred he had filling up his heart, and he could finally sleep a little easier at night.**

* * *

_

As the next few days rolled on by, it was hard to keep a smile off both their faces. They had a secret from everyone. It wasn't an illicit affair. It wasn't a midnight tryst. It was the promise of a real relationship on the outside, and that was the best secret of all. The realization that the attraction was, indeed, mutual, was enough to simply make them smile. Nikita was relieved and excited, knowing that she was Michael's one and only. He cared for all the recruits, yes, but he _loved_ only her. Michael was ecstatic, knowing that Nikita felt the same way about him. He knew all of her other trainers (*cough* Birkhoff) had bonded with her, and it thrilled him to know that she loved him, and not any of them.

Over the next while, Nikita trained even harder, hoping to get promoted sooner. While it was obvious her goal was to "graduate", it was not, however, obvious that she had an ulterior motive for wanting to do it so badly. Michael's heart skipped a beat when Percy told him that he thought Nikita was ready to move up ranks. He wanted to send her out on an op, to test her out. After the incident last time, he wanted to be sure she was ready. Michael found Nikita in the training hall, beating up some guy twice her size. He smiled to himself before calling her over. The weight of what he told her slowly sunk in.

"I get to leave...?" She struggled to hide her excitement. He explained to her that it was provisional, and she'd have to come back. She was momentarily disappointed, but quickly realized that this was the beginning of becoming an agent. Soon she would be out, and she could be with Michael.

"You're such a tease." She said to him before she sauntered off to see Amanda. He couldn't help but smile for a quick moment, forgetting where he was.

The Victor Han mission did not go smoothly (from Nikita's point of view), and they had their first fight – a fight that would seemingly continue on for the next 6 years. For the first time, Nikita realized how blind Michael could pretend to be when it came to Percy. It infuriated her to no end.

"You'd follow him off a cliff, wouldn't you?" Nikita was heartbroken. Everything she thought he stood for was just a sham. He wasn't a leader, he wasn't a man – he was just Percy's lap dog.

* * *

_**Nikita thought back to their first fight. At least now she understood Michael's position on the matter, but she still couldn't forgive him. She knew he wanted to protect the recruits and do right by everyone. She also knew he would turn a blind eye to killing innocents when Percy deemed it "necessary." She wished Michael would snap out of his daze and step up. She wished that Percy was dead, and that Daniel wasn't. Most of all, she wished that she could undo all the damage done by Division, and maybe, just maybe, she could finally forgive herself.**

* * *

_

As the honeymoon of their promised relationship wore off, Michael and Nikita began to realize just how hard it would actually be. They clearly had different views on Division, and somehow, intuitively, both knew that this would be the stake that could tear them apart. As it stood, the future of their yet-to-be relationship was uncertain.

She'd been out for a month. Her own apartment, car, clothes, and life. Of course, it had been just their luck that just as she was promoted to agent, Michael was shipped overseas for a mission. He only had five minutes to spare, but he stopped by her place anyways, to say goodbye, and that he'd be back soon. He kissed her with such an intensity and passion, as if he knew it'd be the last time he'd kiss for her many, many years. He'd only been gone 3 weeks, but in that short time span, she had already met Daniel. She liked him instantly, because he was so different from Michael. Simply put, Daniel wasn't Division. She felt as if she was betraying Michael, but she told herself that Daniel was just her cover. When that lie started to penetrate through her, she told herself that Daniel was the real deal, and that she and Michael never had a relationship – just a promise of one. Still, she could see that Michael was crazy jealous. But what could he do? It's not like he could tell anyone, "We promised we'd get together once she made agent!" So he did his best to push all memories of whatever-it-was-they-had behind him. Nikita made an effort never to think about it also. She loved Daniel now, and he was all that mattered.

* * *

**_Nikita and Michael lay miles apart, in their own apartments, in their own beds. Both think of the other, and wonder what could have been done differently. Both have their regrets and what-ifs, but the biggest one of all is still up in the air. They both wonder if they'll ever meet, under different circumstances, and if they can pick up where they left off, all those years ago, on the floor of her room in Division. She would just be Nikita, and he would just be Michael. _**

**_But the world doesn't revolve around "what-ifs", and so they both resign their thoughts to fatigue, and shuffle off to sleep._**

**_***The End***_**


End file.
